RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Concordia University Chicago (CUC) track and field teams have completed another outstanding season. Between multiple school records broken, numerous Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference (NACC) All-Conference finishes, and a plethora of personal records, the squads shined under the direction of Head Coach Andrew Chizzo.
"The season went great!" Coach Chizzo beamed. "I thought our seniors stepped up and, in some cases, broke records! The upperclassmen reached out and helped out with experience and leadership that we would expect. I feel our young sprinters on the Men's Team really have an exciting future for them, literally every time they step on the track, new records could be broken! Anytime you finish with a team total of 352 PR's and some new school records you know we are doing something right!"
Season Recap
Indoor Season
With just one meet in December of 2025 to kickstart the season, the Cougars came out blazing, showcasing their talents and setting the tone for the year at the Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) Holiday Open. In his collegiate debut,
Jonathan Knoebel (New Albany, Ind.) made a splash, knocking down the school record for the 600m with a time of 1:24.12. With seven more meets throughout the season before the 2026 NACC Indoor Conference Championship, including the Phoenix Invite, Heenan Invite, Aurora Grand Prix, ONU Invitational, Tadd Metzger Invite/Multi, Chicagoland Indoor Championships, and the Margaret Bradley Invitational, CUC shattered more school records, recorded podium finishes, and secured many personal bests.
At the NACC Indoor Championships, the Cougars came out strong, securing three podium finishes, including a gold medal finish, and 20 All-Conference honorees. The men's 4x400m relay team, consisting of
Vincent Scarnato (Pottstown, Pa.),
Jamel Goins (Columbus, Ohio),
Kamren Hannah (El Paso, Texas), and
Austin Knight (Forest Park, Ill.) broke the school record with a time of 3:21.97 to become conference champions. In the 200m, Hannah finished fourth with a personal best time of 22.53 while Knight secured seventh with a time of 22.97. Scarnato ran a time of 51.46 to take fifth in the 400m.
Henry Jones IV (Atlanta, Ga.) finished sixth in the 60m finals with a season best time of 7.07.
Matthew Cardwell (Cincinnati, Ohio) secured seventh in the heptathlon with 3,782 points. The distance medley relay team of
Nathaniel Hernandez (Harwood Heights, Ill.),
Jamel Goins (Columbus, Ohio),
Donovan Depakakibo (Norridge, Ill.), and
Gael Arroyo (Cicero, Ill.) finished sixth with a time of 11:08.69.
Korey Randle (East Moline, Ill.) took second in the triple jump with a leap of 14.18m. Randle also finished sixth in the long jump with a mark of 6.66m. Coming in just behind Randle was
Jordyn Boatman (Elmwood Park, Ill.) with a mark of 6.58m.
Darius Strother (Joliet, Ill.) took eighth in the high jump with a mark of 1.80m. In the shot put,
Brandon Montford (Fairburn, Ga.) secured eighth with a throw of 12.78m. On the women's side,
Kirsten Bockhorst (Union, Mo.) secured third in the long jump with a mark of 5.09m.
Madison Hipshire (Riverview, Mich.) took eighth in the 400m with a time of 1:04.44.
On March 6,
Noor Sammour (Berwyn, Ill.) competed at the Carthage Final Qualifier where she placed third with a leap of 1.55m in the high jump.
Outdoor Season
A few weeks later, CUC took a group of Cougars to Cleveland, Tenn. for the Lee University Invitational. The trip was highlighted by Randle breaking the Invitational record in the long jump with a leap of 6.93m to finish second. Other strong performances included Goins finishing seventh in the 400m hurdles, Hipshire finishing seventh in the 400m hurdles and Fairless taking 12
th in the 800m.
With four more meets before the 2026 NACC Outdoor Championships, including the Big Blue Outdoor Meet, Chicagoland Outdoor Championships, Wisconsin Lutheran Invite, and Cougar Invite, CUC battled the ever-changing weather patterns to put up multiple personal records and strong finishes.
At the 2026 Outdoor Championships, the Cougars shined, recording multiple personal records, 27 All-Conference honorees, four podium finishes, and
Kamren Hannah being named Freshman of the Meet. The men's 4x400m relay team of Arroyo, Scarnato, Hannah, and Knight ran a time of 3:23.14 to take second place. Goins shined in the 400m hurdles, finishing third with a time of 57.71. In the 4x100m relay,
Julian Switzer (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) Scarnato, Knight, and Hannah finished third with a time of 42.27. Hannah raced in the 100m, placing fourth with a time of 11.04. He also finished sixth in the 200m with a time of 22.20, which is a personal record. Knight also competed in the 100m and 200m, finishing seventh with a time of 11.05 and fourth with a time of 21.99, respectively. Scarnato finished seventh in the 400m with a finish time of 50.64. Cardwell took fourth in the decathlon with a score of 4,972. Randle finished fifth in the triple jump with a leap of 13.68m. He then placed sixth in the long jump with a leap of 6.38m. Montford earned sixth place in the shot put with a throw of 13.54m. On the women's side, Hipshire secured second place in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:09.32. Hipshire then teamed up with
Ashley Vasquez (Riverside, Ill.),
Addi McKee, and
Izzy Fairless (Royal Oak, Mich.) in the 4x400m relay. The squad took fourth in the event with a time of 4:15.80. Sammour leapt 1.52m in the high jump to take fourth place. Fairless raced in the 800m, recording a time of 2:25.95 to secure sixth place. Bockhorst earned eighth place in the long jump with a leap of 4.71m.
CUC then took a group of several athletes to the Fighting Chance Invite hosted by University of St. Francis (USF) and the Midwest Twilight Qualifier hosted by Augustana College. At the USF Fighting Chance Invite, Sammour broke the 37-year-old school record for the outdoor high jump. She leapt 1.58m to finish eighth. Bockhorst competed in the long jump and finished 14
th with a mark of 4.27m. On the men's side, Arroyo led the Cougars with a 32
nd place finish in the 800m with a time of 2:01.82. Hannah finished 35
th in the 100m with a time of 11.16.
Tremain Dockery (Chicago, Ill.) and
Gabriel Baez (Cicero, Ill.) set personal bests in the 100m while Baez also set a personal record in the 400m. At the Midwest Twilight Qualifier, McKee took second in the 800m with a time of 2:34.55 while Sammour finished tenth in the high jump with a mark of 1.56m.
All-Conference Honorees
2026 Indoor NACC Conference Championships
60m
Henry Jones IV (7.07)
200m
Kamren Hannah (22.53)
Austin Knight (22.97)
400m
Madison Hipshire (1:04.44)
Vincent Scarnato (51.46)
4x400m Relay
Jamel Goins,
Kamren Hannah,
Vincent Scarnato,
Austin Knight (3:21.97)
Distance Medley Relay
Nathaniel Hernandez,
Jamel Goins,
Gael Arroyo,
Donovan Depakakibo (11:08.69)
Heptathlon
Matthew Cardwell (3782)
Long Jump
Korey Randle (6.66m)
Jordyn Boatman (6.58m)
Kirsten Bockhorst (5.09m)
Triple Jump
Korey Randle (14.18m)
High Jump
Darius Strother (1.80m)
Shot Put
Brandon Montford (12.78m)
2026 Outdoor NACC Conference Championships
100m
Austin Knight (11.05)
Kamren Hannah (11.04)
200m
Austin Knight (21.99)
Kamren Hannah (22.20)
400m
Vincent Scarnato (50.64)
400m Hurdles
Madison Hipshire (1:09.32)
Jamel Goins (57.71)
800m
Izzy Fairless (2:25.95)
3000m Steeplechase
Nathaniel Boksa (10:34.54)
Decathlon
Matthew Cardwell (4972)
4x100m Relay
Austin Knight,
Kamren Hannah,
Vincent Scarnato,
Julian Switzer (42.27)
4x400m Relay
Izzy Fairless,
Madison Hipshire,
Addi McKee,
Ashley Vasquez (4:15.80)
Austin Knight,
Kamren Hannah,
Vincent Scarnato,
Gael Arroyo (3:23.14)
Long Jump
Kirsten Bockhorst (4.71m)
Korey Randle (6.38m)
Triple Jump
Korey Randle (13.68m)
High Jump
Noor Sammour (1.52m)
Shot Put
Brandon Montford (13.54m)
Post Season Honors
Korey Randle (East Moline, Ill.) received U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honors on the Midwest regional list.
The top eight individuals in each event from each region on the year-end Athletic.net Descending Order Lists earned All-Region distinction, in addition to each member of the region's top eight relay teams. The regions used for this award – Great Lakes, Metro, Mid-Atlantic, Mideast, Midwest, Niagara, North, Northeast, South, and West – match those used during the cross country season.
Randle earned this honor after ranking third in the region in the long jump with a leap of 6.93 meters. This jump came in his first outdoor meet of the year at the Lee University Invitational, where he posted this mark on his first jump. Randle sat atop the NACC standings for the majority of the season with this mark, finishing the year placed second.
"We knew about Korey's talent coming in and continued to work with him throughout the season about jumping with a champion mindset," Coach Chizzo noted. "He wanted him to take charge of the runway and know that great things will happen on ANY jump he takes. He did that and we are super proud and happy of his achievement. This is an athlete you HAVE to keep watching, you never known when something big will happen!"
School Records
Indoor Season
In his collegiate debut at the ONU Holiday Open,
Jonathan Knoebel (New Albany, Ind.) broke the 600m record with a time of 1:24.12. He also received NACC Track Athlete of the Week for his achievement.
The men's Distance Medley Relay team consisting of
Nathaniel Hernandez (Harwood Heights, Ill.),
Jamel Goins (Columbus, Ohio),
Donovan Depakakibo (Norridge, Ill.), and
Gael Arroyo (Cicero, Ill.) took bronze at the Chicagoland Championships on February 14, with a school-record time of 10:52.86. The previous record was 10:54.72, set in 2003.
A week later,
Noor Sammour (Berwyn, Ill.) broke her own school record in the high jump at the Margaret Bradley Invitational. Sammour leapt 1.58m, beating her previous best mark of 1.53m from last season.
At the conference championships, the men's 4x400m relay team, consisting of
Vincent Scarnato (Pottstown, Pa.),
Jamel Goins (Columbus, Ohio),
Kamren Hannah (El Paso, Texas), and
Austin Knight (Forest Park, Ill.) became conference champions with a school record time of 3:21.97.
"Veterans make the team better," Coach Chizzo said. "That may seem cliché, but it's really true. Our men's sprint group has really good talent and look to break records every time they step on the track."
Outdoor Season
Sammour etched her name into the top spot of the Cougar record book in the high jump for a second time this year. Breaking a 37-year-old record of 1.57m, Sammour leapt 1.58m at the Fighting Chance Invite.
"Watching Noor in her senior year break the 37-year-old High Jump record and claim it as her own is a highlight for both her and I," Coach Chizzo beamed. "We've been working on that one for some time now and I'm super proud of her and grateful for the time that we got to share this together!"
Graduating Seniors
The squad will see 13 Cougars graduating at the end of this year.
Women's Team
- Kirsten Bockhorst (Union, Mo.) was a three-year member of the team, securing NACC All-Conference honors three times as a jumper.
- Madison Hipshire (Riverview, Mich.) was a three-year member of the team and earned NACC All-Conference honors five times. Her main events were the 60m hurdles and the 400m hurdles.
- Velda Ndang (Plainfield, Ill.) was a two-year member of the team. Her key events included shot put, discus, and weight throw.
- Noor Sammour (Berwyn, Ill.) was a four-year member of the team and recorded three NACC All-Conference accolades. Her key events consisted of long jump, triple jump, and high jump, of which she holds the record for both the indoor and outdoor high jump.
Men's Team
- Matthew Cardwell (Cincinnati, Ohio) was a three-year member of the program and secured 11 NACC All-Conference accolades, including being named a NACC Conference Champion once. He also holds the record for the heptathlon and the outdoor 4x400m relay.
- Donovan Depakakibo (Norridge, Ill.) was a three-year member of the team and competed in the middle-distance events. He was a two-time NACC All-Conference honoree and holds the school record for the Indoor Distance Medley.
- Austin Jackson (Addis, La.) was a two-year member of the squad and competed in the shot put and javelin throw.
- Kam Jackson (Chicago, Ill.) was a three-year member of the team and competed in the middle-distance events.
- Henry Jones IV (Atlanta, Ga.) was a two-year member of the team and received NACC All-Conference honors four times. His primary events included the 55m, 60m, 100m, 200m, and triple jump. He holds the school record for the 60m dash.
- Austin Knight (Forest Park, Ill.) was a four-year member of the team and competed in sprints. He has been named NACC Conference Champion six times, named NACC All-Conference 20 times, and holds school records for the indoor 4x400m relay, the outdoor 200m, the outdoor 4x100m relay, and the outdoor 4x400m relay.
- William Leonard (Oskaloosa, Iowa) was a four-year member of the team and competed in the distance events. He recorded a personal best time of 36:26.29 at the NACC Outdoor Championships in the 10,000m.
- Brandon Montford (Fairburn, Ga.) was a four-year member of the team and received NACC All-Conference honors four times. His primary events included shot put, discus, and weight throw.
- Vincent Scarnato (Pottstown, Pa.) was a four-year member of the team and was a sprinter. He was named NACC Conference Champion five times, named NACC All-Conference 17 times, and holds the school record in the indoor 4x400m relay, the outdoor 4x400m relay, and the outdoor 4x100m relay.
Impactful Returners
Despite losing 13 members, the Cougars still have a solid core of talented veterans returning to the track next year. NACC Freshman of the Outdoor Meet,
Kamren Hannah (El Paso, Texas) and All-Region honoree
Korey Randle (East Moline, Ill.) will look to lead the Cougars in their sophomore campaigns. Headed into their senior seasons,
Izzy Fairless (Royal Oak, Mich.) and
Madalyn Smock (Poplar Grove, Ill.) will guide the women's side. Other returners to watch out for include
Jamel Goins (Columbus, Ohio),
Jonathan Knoebel (New Albany, Ind.),
Darius Strother (Joliet, Ill.),
Ashley Vasquez (Riverside, Ill.),
Devynn Woywod (Berwyn, Ill.), and
Addi McKee.
Personal Records
The Cougars soared to new heights this season, collecting 352 personal records throughout the year. A massive 215 PRs came from the indoor season, including four school records. In the outdoor season, CUC posted 137 personal bests and one school record.
All updates regarding CUC track & field, including rosters, schedules, and more can be found at cucougars.com. For more content, follow on X @CUChicagoTFXC and on Instagram @cuchicago_tfxc.
